Flashback Dance-Party: 10 Retro Dance Jams From 1982

1982 was an amazing year for music. Completely disparate, yet energy fueled genres like disco, R&B, punk, and new wave were starting to fuse together into dance songs that appealed to a wide array of different people. Wherever you went, you were likely to hear your favorite dance song on the radio, or something you could dance to that you didn’t know yet.

To get you pumped for the weekend, we’ve gathered together some of the biggest dance hits from 1982 including songs from [lastfm link_type=”artist_info”]Toni Basil[/lastfm], [lastfm link_type=”artist_info”]Diana Ross[/lastfm], [lastfm link_type=”artist_info”]Human League[/lastfm], and the [lastfm link_type=”artist_info”]Weather Girls[/lastfm].

10. “Mickey”-[lastfm link_type=”artist_info”]Toni Basil[/lastfm]

Photo by Bryan Bedder//Getty Images

Probably the most adorable, infectious song to come out of 1982, Toni Basil brought the cheerleader trend to new heights with her quirky, punk rock infused dance joint. Just bounce to this song a few times and you’ve got your workout set for the day!

“For the first time in history/It’s gonna start raining men…” Oh, how we wish those Weather Girls were right. This song is the perfect anthem for getting ready to go out dancing–or to catch a man. Sassy, tongue-in-cheek, powerful; the Weather Girls make you feel like you can find Mr. Right. You just have to leave your umbrella–or caution–at home.

We’d never seen the video for”You Dropped A Bomb On Me” before and if seeing grown men in glittery camouflage outfits doing cheesy, yet precise choreography doesn’t make you want to “drop a bomb” on the dance floor, we really can’t help you get the groove.

7. “Don’t Go”-[lastfm link_type=”artist_info”]Yaz[/lastfm]

Photo by Joe Corrigan//Getty Images

One of the most popular “dance” tracks of 1982, Yaz’ “Don’t Go” was a first in fusions of synthy euro disco and the post-punk new wave movement. Dancing had to be completely reinvented after this.

Can you do the tranced-out shuffle that would soon be equated with new wave dancing?

Speaking of the New Wave movement and the quintessential shuffle, Human League brought all that plus snap-worthy verses. We are really digging the Cleopatra eyeliner, red lips, and creepy foot impressions in this video.

Duran Duran made a huge comeback this year after playing at the Coachella music festival. We were there and Simon Le Bon was on top of his game, spitting 0ut dark humor and songs like “Hungry Like The Wolf” with the same fervor as in 1982.

Are we jealous of Diana Ross? Well, no, she is only an amazing performer, gorgeous, completely fit nearly thirty years later, and…yes, we are jealous of Diana Ross.

But, in this 1982 dance jam, we learn her secret to perpetually looking good–a dance workout that will inevitably make everyone jealous:

Everybody’s gonna hate you/there will be no doubt/eat your heart out

3.”Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You”- [lastfm link_type=”artist_info”]Boys Town Gang[/lastfm]

Photo by Vince Bucci//Getty Images

We don’t really remember this beautiful disco version of [lastfm link_type=”artist_info”]Frank Valli[/lastfm]’s “Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You” from San Francisco DJs Boys Town Gang, but it was apparently one of the biggest songs of 1982. The female vocals are so silky smooth and it has the same kind of rhythm as “The Hustle.”

“I just can’t help the way that I feel” when I hear this song, which is–I just wanna dance all night long. How can you not feel the groove seeping into every pore of your being with any Evelyn “Champagne” King song? Especially “Love Come Down.” Still perfect and timeless years later.

This song has been sampled, quoted, and remixed hundreds of times, but still people have no idea who sang the original. This perfect piece of New Wave-R&B was written by InDeep. Rolling Stone magazine said the song was “one of the greatest songs ever written about being a girl, listening to the radio, or any combination of the two.”

We agree wholeheartedly. How many times have you been miserable, listened to a song, and felt instantly better? Next time your life needs a little saving, let a DJ save your life.